On Saturday I am attending a conference in London that is being staged by the Feng Shui Society.   Simon Brown,  Jan Cisek,  Richard Ashworth and  Sylvia Bennet are extremely well known personalities in the feng shui world and they will be speaking on various subjects. It should be an extremely informative day as well as a time for catching up with people that I know.

The conference is this Saturday, 24th October, at the Rudolph Steiner House, 35 Park Road, London NW1 6XT. The charge for this one day feng shui festival is £25.00. If you would like more details please email me and I will pass you or information on to the FSS secretary who will be able to assist.

There was a New Moon this morning at 05.35am.  This represents the start of a new lunar cycle as well as giving us hope for new beginnings.   

You cannot see the New Moon because at this point the Sun completely obscures the Moon’s light; it will be visible in a couple of days when it reappears as a beautiful Crescent Moon.

The New Moon helps us move forward, new ideas and projects can be thought about, but wait just a few days before finalising them.  When moving forward make sure you leave the past behind, don’t take baggage along with you, although this is sometimes easier said than done.

Traditionally people make ‘a wish’ on a New Moon, some follow certain rituals to make it special, and others just look towards the heavens. Whichever method you choose it is all about ‘the intent’ that will hopefully make your wish come true.

I have been writing about lighting this week and today many people all over the world will celebrate the Festivals of Lights.

Diwali is perhaps the most well-known of the Indian festivals which can last anywhere between three and five days.

The word Diwali means “rows of lighted lamps” and the celebration is often referred to as the Festival of Lights because of the common practice of lighting small oil lamps (called diyas). The lamps are placed around the home and gardens and are left to burn all night. Coloured electric lamps are also used widely these days especially with children around.

Homes are cleaned throughout, windows are thrown open and diyas are lit as a greeting to Lakshmi, goddess of wealth.

The celebration means as much to Hindus as Christmas does to Christians. Because there are many regions in India, there are many different versions of the Diwali festival.

Diwali signifies the renewal of life, and accordingly it is common to wear new clothes on the day of the festival. It also heralds the approach of winter and the beginning of the sowing season. Gifts are exchanged and it is not uncommon for a husband to present his wife with a gift of gold jewellery.

To Hindus, darkness represents ignorance, and light is a metaphor for knowledge. Therefore, lighting a lamp symbolizes the destruction, through knowledge, of all negative forces.

Lighting is a great way to enhance a room with little effort. It can bring a much needed boost of Yang energy into a quiet room or tone down a bright room to make it more romantic.  At this time of year natural light will be in short supply, this in itself can be depressing, so it is worth taking the time to assess how this will affect your individual rooms and your mood*.

The entrance to your home should always be well lit and inviting. If the hall or lobby is dark then I would recommend keeping a light on as often as possible.    

Crystal chandeliers are wonderful for reflecting light and can look quite stunning even in a small room. They do not have to be overly ornate, just make sure the crystal is kept clean for maximum impact.

When buying lamps avoid anything with sharp angels or points as these will create Shar Chi known as Killing Breath. The killing breath does just that, it destroys the chi in its path and is detrimental unless blocked.

*Many people suffer with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is caused by a biochemical imbalance in the hypothalamus due to the shortening of daylight hours and the lack of sunlight in winter. Bulbs that replicate sunshine can be purchased and these should be used for 2-4hours a day to help with the problem. For more info visit the SAD web site.

People often ask me how quickly Feng Shui works. I always say it depends on how well the person embraces the principals and follows the recommendations (cures) they are given.

Consultants should never force a client to implement any cure or make any changes they are not happy, or comfortable with. It is all about balance, harmony and working with the client to explain everything clearly.

Cures should be placed with “intention”, it’s not just about implementing one day and discarding the next. I had a client who stated after a month “nothing had changed”. Well, the cure she was given had been put in the back of the cupboard because it didn’t match her colour scheme, and everything that had been moved because it was inauspicious was back again!

My friend Sylvia invited me to lunch last Monday.  Dave, her husband was laid off last year so I visited their house at the time to see if I could help. I found several Geopathic Stress lines in the Journey/Career sector. I cleared the lines, advised on some cures, which were implemented with vigour, and within 2 weeks Dave was back in work! 

Over lunch Sylvia told me that Dave was due to be laid off again the next day! I had all my equipment in the car so dowsed to check for Geopathic Stress.   I found a fault line right across the Journey/Career sector again! I cleared the line, gave Sylvia some “housekeeping” to do and the next lunchtime got a message to say Dave had just  been offered another job and starts next Monday!! Now that’s what I call a result.

Autumn has crept upon us, the leaves are turning beautiful shades of red and gold, there is a crispness in the air and our thoughts turn to warmth and comfort. It is my favourite season, mainly because I love the darker evenings which means lots of candles and lights.

I never use harsh lighting, I favour many smaller lamps dotted around rather than overhead bright lights or spotlights. I always choose my light bulbs and lamps carefully. For softer yin lighting I use a low watt pearl bulb and make sure I have a good shade to diffuse the light. 

Dark corners always need illuminating so look for small spotlights/lamps that you can place on the floor. You can buy stick on spotlights that are battery powered quite cheaply. To camoflage the lights I normally place them behind large plants, this will give subtle lighting that will not only reflect the colour of the wall but will also make the plant look great.

I am not a fan of fluorescent lighting, it is associated with headache, eye-strain, eye irritation and fatigue. If you have this type of lighting in your home or workplace make sure there is a diffuser covering the tube to soften the effect and change the tube immediately should it become faulty.  

The Illumination/recognition/fame area of the Bagua can be found in the south.  To encourage vibrant chi energy I have an up-lighter lamp which is placed to reflect light onto my feng shui certificates.  If you desire more recognition in school/college/work then place certificates or references in this sector. Make sure they are displayed “proudly” for optimum results.

Always take care with candles and lamps especially if you have small children.

The Moon will be full this Sunday, 4th October at approximately 6.10am. If you want to cleanse crystals/objects then place them outside tomorrow evening and they will recharge overnight.

As you can see David Cameron and Nick Clegg both have the same first Principal Number. How can that be I hear you ask as they are born in different years?

The Chinese New Year is around the 3/4^th of February every year. As Nick Clegg’s birthday is January he falls into the previous year so is classed as 1966, the same as David Cameron.

Although they both have the same first number the 2/3^rd numbers are different as they are based on the month a person is born in.

Both leaders will be in a spring (Wood) 4 phase from February 2010, this is situated in the good fortune sector of the Bagua.  They will both feel positive and enthusiastic and opportunities for advancement will be great, and they will reap results from past efforts. For them it should prove to be an auspicious year for an election.

David Cameron – Leader Conservative Party – 9 October 1966 – numbers are: 7-9-3

1^st Principal Number (True Inner Nature) 7- Metal-Lake-deep with a reflective surface.

• Outgoing and fun-loving.
• Confident and secure on the outside, disguising an inner insecurity.
• Understand the ways of the world and seem to know what’s going on.
•  Appear to be in control and is optimistic.
• Has natural talent for listening to others and will put people at ease.
•  Good sense of humour. Articulate (good speakers).
• Often appear younger than age with a youthful attitude.

2^nd Principal Number: (Emotional Nature) 9 - Fire - bright active energy with a soft interior. The 9 star will be located in the North West next year, this is where the 6 star normally resides which symbolises the father, a figure of authority.

• Bright, lively, warm and passionate. Extremely affectionate.
• Emotionally open (wear heart on sleeve). Needs feedback and support.
• Often acts impulsively with no regard for the consequences.
• Find it hard to relax.

3^rd Principal Number: (Outer / Expressive Nature) 3 –Tree –Thunder – Explosive and awesome, indicates change is about to occur. the 3 star will be located in the South, this is the Fame/Illumination sector.

• Enthusiastic and interested in everything.
• Positive attitude. Spontaneous and optimistic, noisy and animated.
• Attracts attention.
• Gains enjoyment from starting new projects. Hard-working. Likes to keep busy.

David Cameron from the 4^th February 2010 will be in a 4 phase. This is spring, a time of joy and rapid growth. Results will occur from past efforts and opportunities for advancement are great. It should be a great year for David.